HN 

61 

L8 


CAR 
I 


AN 

ADDRESS 

"The  Natural  and  Social  Order 
of  the  World, 

AS    INTEND 'ED     TO     PRODUCE 
UNIVERSAL     GOOD; 

DELIVERED  BEFORE 

The  TAMMANY  SOCIETY, 


THEIR    A  -NN  IV  E  R  Ssjt  Jl  1}    ,  .  , 

-ON 

The  12th  of  May, 


FAIR  a    L'E   BIEN    C'EST    LE    RECEVOIR. 
BY 

GEORGE     LOGAN. 

PHILADELPHIA  : 
?iinted  by  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  SACHS. 


L  a 


An  ADDRESS, 


FELLOW  CITIZENS, 

WHILST  we  are  prompted  by  a  fpirit  of  philanthra^ 
py  to  defire  the  general  happinefs  of  Mankind  ^ 
found  policy  and  jultice  di&ate  the  neceflity  of  promoting,, 
in  a  more  efpecial  manner,  the  profperity,  the  happinefs 
and  the  independence  of  our  fellow  citizens.  The  law- 
of  Nature,  as  fupported  by  reafon,  prefcribes  to  us  this 
courfe,  as  the  only  juft  foundation  of  our  own  individual 
happinefs  or  fafety. 

The  ancients,  almoft  univerfally;  agreed  that  Man  was 
formed  by  Nature  for  fociety,  and  therefore  obliged  to  ob~ 
ferve  and  practice  whatever  tends  to  the  good  of  the  com 
munity,  of  which  he  is  a  member.  This  comprehenfive 
rule  was  in  all  ages  refpe&ed,  until  Hobbes,  and  other  de 
voted  flaves  to  Tyrants,  broached  the  deteflable  opinion,, 
that  the  ftate  of  Nature,  in  refpecl  to  Man,  is  a  ftate  of  war  ^ 
that  confequently  all  Men  are  enemies  to  each  other,  and 
that  they  are  only  to  be  governed  by  fear*  This  doctrine 
has  been  oppofed  by  feveral  eminent  writers,  and  our  obli-~ 
gation  to  render  each  other  every  friendly  afiiftaneehasbeeri' 
eftablifhed  on  a  more  rational  foundation,.  Dr.  Sharrack*. 
of  Oxford,  in.  the  year  1660,  publifhed  a-  valuable  work,  on* 
the  duties  of  Man,  according  to  the  law  of  Nature  ;  he 
appears  to  be  one  of  the  firfl  who  attempted  to  fupply  the 
great  defecl  complained  of  by  Lord  Verularn,,  «  that  due; 
care  had  not  been  taken  to  eftablifk  £6me.  eertam  principle 
fe  a  foundation  ©f  morality .**"  He  confideied  that  the  end:. 


':  V      .V  :£':V.'        c   4    ] 

^ery 'Xvcrthyv  arid  virtuous  action  is  to  remove  imeafihefs, 
and  enjoy  a  ferene  tranquillity.  The  learned  and  good  Bifhop 
of  Cumberland,  fome  years  afterwards,  publiflied  a  valuable 
treatife  on  the  fame  fubject  ;  in  which  he  maintains  that  the 
greateft  benevolence  of  every  rational  agent  towards  all, 
forms  the  happieft  ftate  of  every  and  of  all,  and  is  neceflari- 
ly  requifite  to  the  beft  ftate  to  which  Man  can  attain,  and 
therefore,  the  common  good  is  the  fupreme  law. 

The  Earl  of  Shaftfbury  confidercd  the  whole  Univerfe 
as  one  fyftem,  compofed  of  infinite  other  leiTer  fyftems,  and 
thefe  again  of  others.  As  our  folar  fyftem  has  its  fevera! 
orbs,  each  of  which  is  another  fyftem  of  itfelf:  And  what 
ever  there  may  be  in  thereil,  in  this  of  ours  we  know  there 
are  many  fyftems,  each  made  up  of  individuals,  and  every 
of  thefe  of  different  parts,  each  of  which  may  be  perfect 
in,  itfelf,  confidered.as  a  part,  as  a  perfect  eye,  hand,  &c.  bul 
its  ufe  has  reference  to  the  whole,  of  which  it  is  immediately 
a  part ;  that  to  its  greater,  that  again  tp  another,  and  fo  on 
to  the  whole.. 

All  thofe  luminous  B'odies  obfervable  in  the  Heavens,  how 
ever  infinite  in  number,  or  diftant,  materially  communicate 
with  this  Globe,  and  it  is  highly  probable,  that  all  and  every 
of  them  contribute  to  the  fupport  and  carrying  on  the  work 
of  each  other  :  And  confequently  that  they  all  make  one 
univerfal  whole  fyftem  ;  they  muft  all,  therefore,  be  exactly 
proportioned  and  fitted  each  to  the  others'  operations ;  for 
otherwife  they  muft  prove  definitive  one  tp  the  other,  and 
produce  the  u-tmoft  confufioH.. 

We  know  that  the  Planets  within  our  own  fyftem  have 
their  projedile  forces  fo  fuited  to  their  gravities  or  attraaion, 
as  to  perform  their  motions  nearly  in  circles,  which  they  do 


I   s   1 

with  fuch  conftancy,  that  all  the  ecKpfes  of  the  luminaries 
that  were  ever  known  to  have  happened,  or  that  may  here 
after  happen,  can  be  calculated  to  an  hour  with  the  fame  cer 
tainty,  as  thofe  of  the  pr^fent  yean 

In  the  animal  and  vegetable  creation,  every  fpecies  is  fur- 
mfhed  with  veffels,  glands,  and  liquids  the  beft  adapted  tq 
its  kind  and  to  the  perfection  of  its  exiftence  ;  accompanied, 
•S&  the  fame  time,  with  that  uninterrupted  conftancy  and  un* 
erring  certainty,  that  there  is.fcarqely  any  one  fpecies  of  ani 
mal  or  vegetable,  as  has  ever  been  known  with  certainty  to 
have  exifted  on  tl^is  Globe,  but  the  fame  may  be  found  at 
this  day. 

Such  is  the  wonderful;  regularity  of  all  Nature  ;  that  even 
the  fmallefl  particles  of  matter  are  fo  uniform  in  their  ope 
rations,  that  the  effects  which  they  will  produce  under  parti 
cular  circumftances  are  known  a  prior  I  y  although  thefe  par* 
tides  are  fo  fmall  that  they  efcape  all  our  fenfes.  A  particle 
of  light,  which  by  a  variety  of  experiments  is  afcertained  to 
be  matter,  is  fo  inconceivably  fmall,  that  Dr.  Barrow  gave  it 
as  his  opinion,  that  a  particle  of  light  is  as  much  lefs  than 
a  grain  of  fand  as  that  grain  is  lefs  than  the  whole  world. 

Thus,  from  the  moft  ftupendous  immenfity,  to  the  minut- 
eft  particles  that  can  be  conceived,— order,  proportion,  fitnefs 
and  congruity  in  the  relation  and  government  of  all  things 
univerfally  prevail,  and  this  order  is  eternal.  Every  thing 
in  the  creation  is  found  relative  to  a  certain  end,  and  though 
infinitely  varied  among  themfelves,  are  fo  managed  and  com 
bined  as  to  confpire  all  to,  the  general  defign  of  univerfal 
.good. 

When  we  confider  this  beautiful  order,  eftablifned  in  thq 
phyfical  world,  it  is  impoflible  to  believe  for  a  moment,  that 


r  *  ] 

Man,  defigncd  the  brighteft  ornament  of  the  creation,  fhoulefc 
forever  remain  deflitute  of  moral  and  political  knowledge, 
the  wretched  object  of  injury  and  oppremon:  On  the  con* 
trary,  God  himfelf  declared  the  perfectibility  of  the  nature 
of  Man,  when  he  appeared  to  Abram,  and  faid  "  I  am  the 
Almighty  God,  walk  before  me  and  be  thou  perfect"  Our 
blefied  Saviour,  Jefus  Chrift,  confirms  this  doctrine  in  a  fer* 
mon  breathing  a  fpirit  of  general  philanthropy  and  replete 
with  the  warmeft  fentiments  of  virtue,  truth  and  juftice.  He 
fays  to  his  Difciples,  "  be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your 
Father  who  is  in  Heaven  is  perfecl:."  This  opinion  of  the  ftate. 
of  abfolute  perfection  and  happinefs,  defigned  for  Man  in 
this  world,  is  not  only  fupported  by  the  powerful  authority  of 
the  Holy  Writings,  but  by  Reafon  ;  which  manifefts  to  usj, 
that  the  end  which  God  had  in  view  with  regard  to  his  Crea* 
tures,  and  particularly  with  refpedt  to  Man,  was  a  ftate  of 
perfection  and  happinefs  in  this  world^  On  whatever  fide, 
we  turn  our  eyes,  we  fee  nothing  in  nature  which  is  not  go 
verned  by  laws  proper  to  its  exigence,  and  which  is  not  or 
ganized  in  a  manner  to  obey  fuch  laws  ;  to  acquire  every 
fuccour  which  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  its  being,  or  ne~ 
ceflary  to  the  mode  of.  its  exiflence.  Man  is  not  neglected 
by  his  Creator :  The  gifts  which  to  him  are  particular,  and 
which  give  him  the  empire  of  the  world,  manifeft  that  hap- 
pinefs  and  profperity  are  defigned  for  him,  and  an  order  pro 
per  to  enfure  him  the  enjoyment  of  them.. 

However  Mankind  may  differ,  in.  opinion,  refpe&ing  the 
perfectibility  of  Human  Nature,  all  agree  in  deploring  its 
niifcries.  This  degraded  ftate  of  Man  has  been  affected  by 
the  Executive  Magiftrates  of  all  Countries  ;  who  have  uni. 
iormly  encroached  on  the  liberties  of  the  People,  until  fuch 
vimcs  as  they  filched  frcm  them  their  Sovereignty,  and  re- 


I    7     ] 

duccd  them  to  a  date  of  wrctchednefs.  Wars  created  "bf 
ambitious  Executives  have  been  undertaken  more  to  their 
own  aggrandizement  and  power,  than  for  the  protection  of 
their  Country.  The  People,  involved  in  a  (late  of  abject 
inifery  by  accumulated  wrongs,  and  drove  almoft  to  a  date 
of  defperation, — are  comforted  with  a  promife  of  eternal  hap^ 
pinefs,  by  interefted  Priefts,  who  participate  with  the  Go 
vernment  in  the  plunder  of  its  Citizens. 

To  efcape  from  this  combination  of  outrage  and  deception, 
our  anceftors  fled  to  the  Wildernefs  of  America  ;  where  they 
might  enjoy  their  religious  and  political  opinions  without 
infult  or  injury.  The  native  Indians  gave  them  a  kind  re 
ception,  and  at  once  permitted  them  to  partake  of  all  the  ad 
vantages  they  enjoyed  themfeives.  Although  William  Penn, 
according  to  the  unjuftifiable  cuftom  of  Europe,  received  a 
grant  from  the  King  of  England,  of  the  territory  of  Penii  ] 
iylvania,  of  which  he  was  declared  fole  proprietor  5  yet,  on 
his  taking  pofTeffion,  a  fpirit  of  juftice  and  philanthropy, 
which  in  all  his  tranfadtions  marked  his  conduct  through  life, 
engaged  him  to  purchafe  the  foil  from  the  Natives ;  by  which 
means  the  colony  was  preferved  in  peace,  and  flourished.  The 
only  difficulties  it  had  to  encounter  were  occafioned  by  the 
arbitrary  regulations  of  the  Britifh  Court,  which  interdicted 
our  municipal  regulations,  obftructed  our  progrefs  in  manu 
factures,  and  reftricled  our  commerce  ;  by  which  means  fhe 
enjoyed  a  monopoly  of  the  produce  of  our  indultry,  highly 
injurious  to  this  Country.  Roufed  at  length  by  repeated  in 
juries,  Pennfylvania,  united  with  her  fifter  Colonies;  and 
affifted  by  the  blood  and  treafure  of  that  brave  and  generous 
People,  the  French,  we  became  a  freeB  independent  Republic* 
Having  in  this  manner  rejected  the  Government  of  Great 
Britain,  and  now  united  with  our  fifter  States  for  mutual 
?id  a«d  protection, — it  becomes  the  undoubted  duty  of  every 


'[     8     ] 

Citizen  of  the  Uhited  States,  to  give  encouragement  to  tht 
Mechanics,  and  Manufacturers  of  our  Country  •,  not  by 
promoting  prohibitory  laws  againft  the  importation  of  Fa- 
reign  Fabrics,  but  by  calling  our  own  manufactures  into  ufe  v 
by  which  means  we  mall  afford  them  the  molt  fubftantial  en 
couragement. 

The  local  and  phyfical  advanta-ges  enjoyed  by  the  United 
States,  afford  to  her  Citizens  the  means  of  being  fupplied 
within  themfelves  'with  moft  articles  neceffary  or  ufeful  in 
life.  This  being  an  undeniable  fact,  it  becomes  criminal  in  heY 
Citizens  not  to  derive  all  'the  advantages  in  their  power  from 
circumftances  thus  placed  within  their  reach.  Civil  fociety  is 
fo  conftituted,  that  its  ftateof  profperity  and  power  arifes  from 
the  independence  and  profperity  of  its  members,  and  as  eve 
ry  Citizen  affords  his  aid  to  fuppdrt  its  municipal  regula 
tions,  by  which  the  property  of  all 'is  protected,  it  becomes 
not  only  the  duty,  but  the  intereft,  of  every  Individual  to 
promote  the  profperity  and  independence  of  his  Fellow  Citi 
zens.  It  is  computed,  that  the  Mechanics,  and  Manufactu 
rers  within  the  United  States  comprehend  one  twentieth 
part  of  our  Citizens ;  that  the  Merchants,  Agents,  &c.  com- 
pofe  one  twentieth,  and  that  eighteen  twentieths  are  engag 
ed  in  Agriculture.  Thofe  Men  whofe  inclinations  lead  them 
to  Mechanic  or  Manufacturing  occupations  for  a  fupport, 
and  who  have  no  defire  to  engage  in  the  cares  and  fatigues  of 
a  Country  life,  will  confider  it  for  their  advantage,  that 
their  Fellow-Citizens  mould  give  a  preference  to  the  produce 
of  their  induftry,  over  Foreign  Manufactures.  The  Mer 
chants,  merely  as  Agents,  no  doubt  confider,  that  every  kind 
of  Mechanic  and  Manufacturing  employ  mould  be  difcou- 
raged  within  the  United  States,  as  agents  equally  interefled 
hi  Supporting  the  profperity  of  the  Foreign  Manufacturer,  as 


t    9     1 

the  American  Farmer  ;  they  fhould  rather  be  confidered  as 
Citizens  of  the  World,  than  Citizens  of  any  particular  Com 
monwealth.  To  fend  Clay  to  England  to  be  returned  made 
into  Bricks,  Limeftone  into  Lime,  and  Wheat  into  Flour, 
would  not  be  more  abfurd  than  the  practice  we  have  been  in, 
for  many  years,  of  exporting  our  Flax-Seed,  Iron  and 
Furs  to  Europe,  to  be  returned  in  a  variety  of  Manufattur- 
ed  Articles,  equally  capable  of  being  fabricated  ampngft  our- 
felves.  Exporting  all  your  Raw  Materials  to  Europe,  to  be 
manufactured,  would  create  a  great  degree  of  buftle  at  our 
fea-ports  j  would  create  a  great  quantity  of  {hipping  and 
would  increafe  the  bufinefs  and  wealth  of  the  Merchants, 
but  it  would  certainly  add  nothing  to  the  a£lual  wealth  or  in 
dependence  of  our  Country. 

The  Farmers,  comprehending  eighteen-twentieths  of  the 
People  of  the  United  States,  are  fo  advantageoully  fituated, 
that  they  can  manufacture,  immediately  from  their  own 
Farms,  all  the  Woollen  and  Linen  Cloth  necelTary  in  their 
families,  and  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  any  imported ;  taking 
into  confideration  the  fuperior  quality  of  the  Domeftic  Ma 
nufacture,  for  real  ufe,  and  the  time  and  labour  beftowed 
and  faved  by  the  family.  Independent  of  this  important 
fa&,  it  is  the  peculiar  intereft  of  the  Farmers,  that  they 
Should  give  every  encouragement  to  the  Mechanics,  and  Ma 
nufacturers  of  the  United  States  -,  by  which  they  may  pro 
cure  a  certain  and  Heady  market  at  their  own  doors,  for  the 
furplus  produce  of  their  induftry  ;  which  could  not  be  inter 
rupted  by  Foreign  competition,  or  deftroycd  by  the  impolitic 
meafures  of  our  own  Executive  Government,or  by  the  arbitra 
ry  laws  of  foreign  Countries.  The  labour  of  the  Citizens 
of  the  United  States,  actually  engaged  in  Manufactures,  can* 
to  be  procured  at  the  low  rate  of  that  of  the  Subjects  of 


England,  cither  in  Europe,  or  in  India;  nor  fnculd  it  be 
looked  for  by  any  man  who  values  the  real  independence  of 
his  country.  An  exchange,  for  the  mutual  advantage  of  the 
parties,  ought  to  be  fupported  by  juflice.  Every  manufac 
turer  fhould  have  fuch  an  equivalent  for  his  labour  as  to 
enable  him  to  live  with  comfort ;  to  educate  his  children  and 
to  preferve  fomething  for  the  fupport  of  his  family  in  cafe  of 
unavoidable  accident.  This  is  fo  far  from  being  the  cafe  in 
the  Britim  dominions,  from  whence  we  derive  mofl  of  our 
manufactures,  that  but  a  fmall  number  of  the  workmen  re 
ceive  an  adequate  compenfation  for  their  labour. 

In  rewarding  their  exertions  or  ingenuity  no  rule  of  equity 
is  a1  tended  to  ;  on  the  contrary,  a  combination  takes  place  to 
reduce  the  wrages  of  the  manufacturer  to  a  fcanty  fubfiftence. 
From  the  tendered  infancy  they  are  doomed  to  perpetual  la 
bour,  and  have  no  time,  even  in  childhood,  for  the  neceiTary 
exercife  of  the  body,  or  the  cultivation  of  the  mind.  Thus  ' 
the  poor  man,  upon  whofe  indudry  depends  the  fo  much 
boaded  extent  of  Britifh  manufactures  is,  by  the  force  of  ar 
bitrary  regulations,  obliged  to  fuch  exceffive  toil,  that  he  is  re 
duced  to  a  mere  animal  exidence,  having  no  intered  in  the 
profperity  of  his  country,  or  as  little  capable  of  ferving  it  in 
time  of  danger. 

In  Britifh  India,  Mr.  Bolts  and  Colonel  Dow  concur  m  opi 
nion  refpecting  the  fevere  treatment  the  manufacturers  expe 
rience.*  "The  affent  of  the  poor  weaver  is,  in  general,  not 
deemed  necefTary  to  the  bargain,  for  the  gomadahs  or  agents, 
when  employed  in  the  company's  invedments,  frequently 
make  them  fign  what  they  pleafe  and,  upon  the  weavers  re- 
fufing  to  take  the  money  offered,  it  has  been  known  that  they 
have  had  it  tied  in  their  girdles,  and  they  have  been  fent  away 
with  a  flogging.  A  number  of  thofe  weavers  are  alfo  gene- 

*  Bolts'  India  Affairs,  page  193  —  194. 


[  II-  ] 

rally  regiftered  in  the  books  of  the  company's  gomaftahs^ 
and  not  permitted  to  work  for  any  others,  being  transferred 
from  one  to  another,  like  fo  many  flaves,  and  fubje£l  to  the 
roguery  of  every  fucceeding  gomaftah.  The  winders  of  raw 
filk  have  been  treated  alfo  with  fuch  injuftice,  that  inftances 
have  been  known  of  their  cutting  off  their  thumbs  to  prevent 
their  being  forced  to  wind  filk."  By  fuch  horrid  outrages, 
againft  the  rights  of  millions  of  our  fellow  creatures,  do  we 
become  furnifhed,  at  fo  cheap  a  price,  with  the  manufactures 
of  the  Britifh  dominions. 

The  prefent  gloomy  appearance  of  our  public  affairs  has 
no  doubt  been  occafioned  by  the  Citizens  of  the  United  States 
having  too  much  neglected  the  reprefentative  principles  of  the 
federal  government,  and  looking  up  to  one  man  for  the  falva- 
tion  of  our  country.  Similar  caufes  will  produce  fimilar  ef 
fects  to  the  end  of  time.  Whenever  men,  by  the  abufe  of 
that  free  will,  given  to  them  by  the  author  of  the  univerfe  for 
their  own  well-being,  make  ufe  of  it  to  deftroy  the  natural 
order  of  things,  in  the  moral  and  phyfical  world,  confufion 
and  diftrefs  muft  be  the  confequence.  When  that  highly  fa 
vored  people,  the  Jews,  fought  a  king  to  rule  over  them,  God 
confidered  it  not  as  an  offence  againft  Samuel  and  their  El 
ders,  but  againft  himfelf ;  as  manifefting  a  defire  to  follow 
the  corruptions  of  other  nations,  and  to  pervert  the  natural 
order  which  he  had  eftablifhed  for  the  good  of  the  univerfe. 
He  therefore  gave  them  a  king  in  his  wrath,  who  was  a  curfe 
to  them,  as  kings  have  been  a  curfe  to  mankind  from  that  day 
to  the  prefent  time.  The  kingly  power,  after  having  been  a 
fcourge  to  Europe  for  ages,  is  now,  by  the  light  of  the  Ame- 
'  rican  and  French  revolutions,  coming  to  -an  end.  It  is  devout 
ly  to  be  wjfhed,  that  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  may  be 
upon  their  guard  not  to  fuffer  even  the  appearance  of  kingly 


authority  .to  return  amongft  us  to  blaft  the  fair  profpe&s  of 
our  revolution.  The  liberty  of  our  country  muft  be  fupport- 
cd  on  the  foundation  of  that  equality,  afcertained  by  the  laws 
of  the  creation,  fupported  by  the  gofpel,  which  acknowledges 
no  diftin&ion  of  bond  or  free.  Self-intereft  may  oppofe,  and 
fophiftry  may  cavil,  but  equality,  in  its  rational  acceptation, 
as  relating  to  civil  privileges  and  impartial  laws,  gives  dignity 
to  the  human  character  and  prompts  it  to  a£ts  worthy  of  its 
origin. 

Finally,republicans,  let  itbeourftudiouscare  to  vindicate 
the  rights  of  opprefled  humanity  and  to  remove  the  falfe  im- 
preflions  of  all  unjufl  diftin£tions.  Let  us  cultivate  the 
principles  of  philanthropy,  juftice  and  equality,  which  are  alto 
gether  incompatible  with  thofe  fyftems  of  oppreflion  and 
injuftice,  which  for  a  length  of  time  have  darkened  the  face 
of  the  European  world. 

Let  us  not  precipitately  endeavour  to  acccmplifh  that  to 
day,  which  the  difiemination  of  truth  will  make  unavoida 
ble  to-morrow  :  Let  us  not  anxioufly  watch  for  occafions  and 
events  ;  the  afcendency  of  truth  is  independent  of  events. 
Let  us  anxioufly  refrain  from  violence  ;  force  is  not  convic 
tion,  and  is  extremely  unworthy  of  the  caufe  of  juftice: 
Let  us  admit  into  our  bofoms  neither  contempt,  animofity, 
refentment  nor  revenge.  The  caufe  of  juftice  is  the  caufe 
of  humanity ;  its  advocates  fhould  overflow  with  univerfal 
good  wilL  We  ihould  love  this  caufe  j  for  it  conduces  to 
the  general  happinefs  of  mankind.  We  fhculd  love  it ;  for 
there  is  not  a  man  that  lives,  who,  in  the  natural  and  tran 
quil  progrefs  of  things,  will  not  be  made  happier  by  its  ap 
proach. 

E  N  D. 


M180727       t«e 


